Friday, April 30, 2010

PLEASE SIGN THE NO PHONE ZONE PLEDGE

Hi, I finally got this widget to post after attempting it for two days, it didn't want to work for me. Unfortunately, the sound it very low, so if you can't hear it please go to www.oprah.com for all the information you need.





Oprah devoted an entire show to this issue, because it means so much to her. So many of us are so happy someone with influence is finally speaking out about this, because many of us have been speaking about this for years, but no one listens.

Thankfully, people are starting to listen since it is Oprah. I hope everyone finally gets the message, and I know many of you do too, and I know many of you have lost loved ones, because of these drivers. My heart goes out to you.

It really doesn't matter much if you take very good care of your health, if you then lose your life at the hands of a thoughtless driver. Everyone please share this information, and you can get the widget at www.oprah.com.

Thanks!

Good Health and Wealth,

Jeanne

Thursday, April 29, 2010

PREPARING OUR HEALTHY FOOD IN A HEALTHY MANNER

Hi.   Now that we have our healthy clean food to eat, how do we prepare it?

Healthy Cookware

If you have nonstick cookware, I would recommend throwing it out.  It is loaded with chemicals that are released when it is heated.  Did you know that heating a nonstick pot could kill your bird?  It can't be very good for humans then either.  Also, when the nonstick wears, it flakes off into the food that is being cooked in it.  You are then eating the chemicals that go into making the nonstick surface.

Aluminum pots and pans are not much better, please get rid of those as well.  Aluminum gets absorbed into the food, and you don't want this metal to build up in your system.  Aluminum has been associated with Alzheimer's disease, and others.  Some dispute this and say that only a small amount of aluminum is absorbed,  and that it isn't harmful in that small amount.  I believe it to be harmful.  Do you want to risk it?

Iron ware isn't the best either, because unless you are anemic and need added iron you don't want to cook your food in it as it absorbs the iron from the pot.  Too much iron has been associated with cancer.

You could use a good stainless steel, especially a surgical grade, but cooking in any metal isn't the best choice for your health.  You really don't want to be bringing metals whether heavy or light into your body.

The best cookware to use is glass or a safe ceramic.  You may wonder where you can get them, and it can be a little difficult, but if you persevere you will be able to find them.  I found some on ebay, and I couldn't be happier with them.  I even found a pot with a glass steamer, because I steam all my vegetables. This is a very healthy choice.

You could use enamel cookware, which would be a good choice if you couldn't find the glass or ceramic, but the minute it is chipped throw it out.  If you continue to use it, enamel flakes will find their  way into your food.  The cheaper pots tend to flake more then a good enamel pot.

Acrylamides In Food

The next thing you want to be aware of is how you are preparing your food.  I only boil and steam as that is the healthiest, and the safest way to prepare food.  Use these methods for the majority of the foods you cook, and save other methods of cooking for special dishes on rare occasions.  The reason I strongly recommend this is that roasting, baking, grilling, and frying can have unhealthy consequences.

I posted previously about acrylamides, which cause cancer.  Swedish scientists discovered this a few years back in 2002, I believe.  They discovered that foods, mostly carbohydrates, when they are heated to a high temperature, form substances called acrylamides.  This even occurs in otherwise healthy foods, as it is a chemical byproduct that forms in the food, because of the cooking process.  The forms of cooking that cause this reaction are baking, roasting, grilling and frying. The only way to prevent this is by boiling or steaming.

You really need to cut down on the amounts of acrylamides you consume.  Some of the worst offenders are french fries, potato chips, toast, and coffee,  but even  cookies, cakes, breads and cereals can contain moderate amounts. Healthy vegetables prepared the wrong way, unfortunately, contain acrylamides too.  Browned and burnt foods contain high amounts, as do roasted foods, that's why coffee is so high.

I know it can seem discouraging, and that everything seems to cause problems and risks, but you just need to be aware and eat accordingly.  It is always your choice, I just feel that everyone is entitled to be informed.  I cook food that I really enjoy by boiling and steaming, it doesn't just have to be healthy, it can be very tasty too.  Only once a year, at Thanksgiving, do I bake for myself; I make a pumpkin custard, and I look forward to it and thoroughly enjoy it.  I'm not insinuating you should limit your favorites to once a year.  But armed with this knowledge you might want to limit the foods that you prepare in less then healthy ways, and try new recipes using healthy methods.  Eating a high percentage of raw foods is an excellent choice for your health. It really can be very simple.

Heterocyclic Amines In Cooked Meats 

One other thing I want to make all you meat eaters aware of is another chemical byproduct that is formed when you prepare meat and fish.  It is called heterocyclic amines (HCA).  They are also cancer causing substances,  and are formed when meat or fish is cooked at high temperatures, again meaning frying, baking, grilling, roasting and barbecuing.  If you choose to eat meat, try to limit the times you eat it, and don't cook it too well done.  Eating less meat is healthier for many reasons.

Remember, it is up to you what foods you eat, but while I usually recommend living in the present, I think that everyone needs to consider long term health.  Being a former nurse I've seen many people who have suffered with serious diseases, and if what you eat today will mean whether you will suffer tomorrow it seems like a no brainer to me.  And it does mean that.  Even conventional medicine is starting to admit that whether we get sick. is largely in our own hands.  This is good news, it means we have a lot of control over our own health, and recent discoveries by Dr. Bruce Lipton, concerning epigenetics, have proven that what we do can even override genetic tendencies.

Good Health and Wealth,

Jeanne

NEW UPDATED DIRTY DOZEN LIST

Hi all, it figures, no sooner do I post the "Dirty Dozen" List, then they reveal a new updated list.  EWG (Environmental Working Group) the ones who test and post the list, doesn't have the updated list posted yet. As I had stated, it changes a bit from year to year, and this is the new 2010 updated list.  I'm putting this up because I don't want anyone to be misinformed, but let's face it, a few points in the amount of pesticides really doesn't change things much, we need to avoid most conventional produce, buy, and insist on reasonably priced safe organically grown produce.

Here's the new updated "Dirty Dozen" List.

1.  Celery
2.  Peaches
3.  Strawberries
4.  Apples
5.  Blueberries
6.  Nectarines
7.  Bell Peppers
8.  Spinach
9.  Kale
10. Cherries
11. Potatoes
12. Grapes

Good Health and Wealth,

Jeanne

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

KEEPING TRACK OF THE TOXINS IN YOUR FOOD

 Hi,  continuing with yesterday's post, I wanted to post this link where you can look up a lot of the foods that you eat to see how much pesticides are in each one.  They also list the names of the particular pesticides, and in what ways they are considered harmful.   They have the listings for the conventional, and the organic foods.  This way you can make informed decisions on what foods you want to eat.

Many of you will be surprised to find out that this country's pesticide load on produce is often worst than imported produce.  Many think that we have the best and safest food, but many other countries have banned some of the pesticides that we still use.

Here is the website, this one is also worth perusing and supporting.  Join in the fight to make our food safe.  Just click on the "What's On My Food?" banner and it will take you to the www.panna.org (Pesticide Action Network North America) website.  Then click on the food you're interested in, on the right side of the page for the listing.  Stay well.


 Find out what's on your food at: whatsonmyfood.org


Good Health and Wealth,

Jeanne

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

WHAT IS YOUR TOXIC LOAD?

Hi, everyone, sorry I missed a couple of days.  It's nice to be back and I hope everyone is getting very healthy.


Toxins Be Gone

Today I have an important question for you.  What is your toxic load?  We all make toxins in our bodies as a normal part of metabolism, and our liver is very capable of removing all normal toxins from our bodies.  The problems occur when we add additional toxins, and our liver becomes overburdened and simply can't eliminate all the toxins so they build up in our bodies.  Outside of a clean healthy diet, which is also plays a role in reducing toxins, one of the most important things you can do for your health is by reducing your toxic load.

This is such an important topic, that during the next few days I'll be discussing what types of toxins there are, how they get into our bodies, and what we can do to avoid some and eliminate others.

I've spoken about the Gerson's Cancer Diet, and the premise behind it is nutrients in, and toxins out.  That, as far as I'm concerned, is the most important thing for good health.  Nutrients in, and toxins out.  If you think about it for a moment you will realize that most of our ills are because of not fulfilling those two things.  If we have both of those, how could we possibly get sick?  Truly, most of our health is in our own hands, which is a good thing.  We can determine whether we get or stay sick or become healthy.

It Starts With Our Food 

The first thing is our diet.  I've heard it said that it isn't what we eat, but what we absorb. You need to get the optimal amount of nutrients into your body everyday.  I am enclosing a link to the one thing that I am selling, enzymes, so that you can check out their website for more information about enzymes.  Today's food contains so much less nutrients, even organic, then food did from years ago.  It is very important to make sure you are absorbing the nutrients from the healthy foods you are eating.  Thorough chewing is another way to help your body absorb nutrients, and so is not drinking liquid with your food.

To help get the most nutrients chose the best foods.  Organic fruits and vegetable, preferably locally grown, organic dairy. and raw if from a safe source. Everything should be organic including grains since the foods grown without chemical pesticides have more nutrients.

You need to eat a lot of soluble and insoluble fiber, because fiber helps to remove toxins from the body.  If you have sluggish digestion and elimination, the toxins that your body is sending out will remain in the digestive system longer than desirable, and some of the toxins will be reabsorbed into the body.  That is one of the reason why it is so essential to have good speedy elimination. The best fiber is from fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds.  You want to eat whole foods.

Besides eating organic, because they are more nutritious, you want to eat organic because you will not  be adding to your toxic load.  A lot of conventional food is unfortunately loaded with toxins, so instead of worrying about how you will remove them, just keep them out of your body.  If you haven't heard about the "Dirty Dozen" you should know what they are.  The "Dirty Dozen" are 12 of the most highly contaminated fruit and vegetables, that should never be eaten unless they are organic.  The list might change slightly from year to year, but basically these 12 fruits and vegetables continue to be highly contaminated year after year.  Here is a list of the "Dirty Dozen" from the Environmental Working Group.  www.ewg.org  This is a great site to visit and support.

                                        The Dirty Dozen
 

1 (worst)Peach100 (highest pesticide load)
2Apple93
3Sweet Bell Pepper83
4Celery82
5Nectarine81
6Strawberries80
7Cherries73
8Kale69
9Lettuce67
10Grapes - Imported66
11Carrot63
12Pear63

                                        The List Continues


13Collard Greens60
14Spinach58
15Potato56
16Green Beans53
17Summer Squash53
18Pepper51
19Cucumber50
20Raspberries46
21Grapes - Domestic44
22Plum44
23Orange44
24Cauliflower39
25Tangerine37
26Mushrooms36
27Banana34
28Winter Squash34
29Cantaloupe33
30Cranberries33
31Honeydew Melon30
32Grapefruit29
33Sweet Potato29
34Tomato29
35Broccoli28
36Watermelon26
37Papaya20
38Eggplant20
39Cabbage17
40Kiwi13
41Sweet Peas - Frozen10
42Asparagus10
43Mango9
44Pineapple7
45Sweet Corn - Frozen2
46Avocado1
47 (best)Onion1 (lowest pesticide load)

Note: We ranked a total of 47 different fruits and vegetables but grapes are listed twice because we looked at both domestic and imported samples.

Flushing The Toxins Out 

Many people consider the bowel the center of the immune system and where health really begins.  So many processes take place there besides elimination. Make sure you keep a healthy bowel flora and replenish your bowel with probiotics.  Yogurt and kefir is one way,  sauerkraut you make yourself (not commercial) and kombucha tea are others.  You can take a supplement if you find a good one.

Good filtered water is needed for elimination, and most processes.  Make sure your water intake is about 1/2 your body weight in ounces.  You need a lot of water for elimination, and if you don't have enough it will cause constipation and slow elimination which leads to toxin reabsorption.

The kidneys also are removing toxins at the same time, and they need water also.  If you don't take in enough water, kidney stones can form and kidneys can be overburdened with toxins as well. When that happens and the kidneys can work well to remove toxins, it becomes life threatening.  Kidney disease and kidney failure is on the rise, and I believe a lot of it is the toxic load and the stress placed by that on our kidneys.

Lemon water is a wonderful aid to detoxing.  It helps purify the blood, assists with elimination, assists the liver with cleansing, and helps with bile release.  It is also known to help dissolve kidney and gall stones when used on a daily basis, and will help prevent new ones from forming.  I take it every morning after I complete my oil pulling (more about that later.)  I simply put 2 ounces of freshly squeezed lemon juice from organic lemons in about one cup of water, warm water is best.  Most take it on an empty stomach first thing in the morning, but you can drink it when you like, morning and night is best.

We've only touched on the tip of the iceberg regarding toxins in our lives.  I can't stress enough, how important this is, and how we all need to take an active role in solving this problem.  Till tomorrow,  remember, nutrients in, and toxins out.

Good Health and Wealth,

Jeanne

Monday, April 26, 2010

FREE - FRUGAL ALERT

Free piece of Godiva Chocolate every month, if you join the Rewards Club.

For all the information, you can go here.

Saturday, April 24, 2010

FREE - FRUGAL ALERT

CVS Photo is offering a completely free Photo Magnet.

Go to CVS.com then sign into CVS Photo and download your favorite photo.
Then order it by clicking on the 4x6 Photo Magnet, regularly $6.99.  Make the
magnet, then checkout.

At checkout put in FREE4MOM in the promo code.  Next click on you'll
pickup in a local store, and there will be no shipping charge, and it will be
totally free.  Follow through the order, and in the end the total will be $0.

Enjoy.

Thursday, April 22, 2010

HAPPY EARTH DAY - HAPPY 40TH ANNIVERSARY

Hi all,  I hope everyone had a wonderful Earth Day, and I hope every person gave thought to what they can do to improve our mother earth.

It's Not Too Late - You Can Still See The Movie, Food, Inc.

I hope everyone watched Food, Inc.  Even though I already knew what was in it from my years of study, I must say, I thoroughly enjoyed it, and think Robert Kenner, the filmmaker, did a great job.  It was nice to hear from Chris, one of my readers, that he got a lot from the film and enjoyed it too.

I've learned, since yesterday, that you can still see the film as PBS will be having more showings of it until next week, so check your local schedules.  I also have some great news, you can view it online too, on the PBS website, until April 29th!  Here is the link.

Forty Years Ago Was The First Earth Day

The first Earth Day was founded by Senator Gaylord Nelson as an environmental teach-in.  Here is a link to a page on www.envirolink.org that was written by Senator Nelson about how the first Earth Day came about.  It is an interesting read, so I thought you would enjoy checking it out.  It is also a great website to peruse when you have a chance.

A Earth Day To Remember

When Earth Day was coming up, about a week ago, it brought to my mind a Earth Day about 20 years ago.  I was teaching 5th grade at the time, and I had a wonderful class that year, it was my favorite of all my classes.  Luckily, I was teaching in a private school, so I had a little bit of leeway in my lessons, and wanted to make an impression on the minds of my students.

I decided we would clean up our block for Earth Day.  I think I used my science lesson that day, and one of my student's father generously provided all of us with a plastic garbage bag and big, emphasis on big, lol, rubbers gloves.  After donning the gloves, and instructing my class not to touch anything sharp, but to call me, we started our sweep of our block.  The school property took up one small block so it was very convenient.  I know we looked funny as my sweet students tried to maneuver picking up garbage with those huge yellow gloves.  I think it was a lesson that many of these students never thought about before that day.  I often wonder if the lesson stuck, and if they are now the teachers of the importance of Earth Day.

That Earth Day twenty years ago, was a beautiful warm spring day, and a great day to be outside.  My students didn't think it was so great to be out, especially at first, they just looked at it as hard work.  What?!  Pick up trash?!  But they were soon laughing, and we could see other students at the windows watching us.

The next day I had reports from my students that the other students, many of the ones at the windows, were teasing them and throwing garbage on the ground to taunt them.  Of course that just lead to another teaching lesson about how they were just jealous of my students, since they were allowed to go outside.  In the minds of the other students they perceived them as getting special treatment, and us as having too good of a time.  It didn't occur to them that we were working hard and cleaning up by picking up some stuff we would rather not have to pick up. lol

I can't remember a lot of Earth Days, but what I do recall is that more and more people over the years are beginning to realize the importance of taking care of this earth, we call home.  I hope many of you, who are now caring for the children of today, will have a teaching moment as I did twenty years ago.  I know that the things children learn when they are young really stay with them.  They may fight you at the time, but many of the good things you teach them will grow with them like a seed that germinates and grows.  I can only wish that for you, because looking back I know the one who gained the most from that day wasn't my students.  I wish that for you too.

Good Health and Wealth,

Jeanne



Wednesday, April 21, 2010

DON'T MISS FOOD, INC. TONIGHT! ON POV ON PBS - CHECK LOCAL LISTINGS FOR TIMES

Hi all, I know I'm repeating myself again.  Remember, repetition is the mother of learning. lol

I'm just hoping that everyone will understand how important it is to view this movie.  I honestly think it is vital, and can lead to a change in the food we accept on our plates, as long as enough people get this message.  I have no stock in this movie, lol.

All our food should be "organic".  It was at one time in our past.   We shouldn't have to pay such high prices for healthy food.  We need food subsidies for healthy organic food, not contaminate unhealthy food.  I think it is such a crying shame that even when people try to eat healthy, and have to eat the conventional produce, which should at least be healthy, it is so contaminated with chemicals and pesticides.  When are we all going to realize this?!  We are putting chemicals, and pesticides into our precious bodies! And I haven't even mentioned the horror of processed convenience "food".

Please spread the word to watch this movie.  The more people that know the true facts about the food they are eating the better it will be for all of us.  Once we refuse to accept food like we have, many things will improve.  Our health, for certain, but also our farmer's health, our air, water and soil will be less polluted.  If we put a halt to all the chemicals, pesticides, antibiotics, and hormones that are used in our food, they wouldn't be able to contaminate our soil, which is so depleted of nutrients it isn't funny.  Those pollutants wouldn't be contaminating our air, and they wouldn't be able to seep into our water supplies.

Less people would be sick, so less medication would be used, and less of it would be ending up in our drinking water.  I assume everyone is aware that our drinking water is contaminated with the drugs people consume since it is expelled through their urine, which is recycled into our new drinking water.  I know no one wants to think about it, but that is the cycle of life, water is recycled, and all the drugs, chemicals and pesticides that are used on our foods, and ourselves end up in our environment, our water, soil, and air.

People, we are being poisoned. I will be blogging more about toxins in the near future.  Please keep in mind how many sick, stressed, and overweight people we have in our society.  I'm fearful we won't even be able to afford the cost of the coming health crisis with all these people.

Here is a link to the PBS website, so that you can watch a trailer about Food, Inc. and check the time for your local showing.

Please watch it and share it, if you can record it, with everyone.

Good Health and Wealth,

Jeanne

FABULOUS NEWS - FOOD, INC. PREMIERS ON PBS TODAY!

Hi,  all.

Wonderful news.  The great Academy Award nominated documentary film Food, Inc. in having its broadcast premier today on POV (Point Of View) on PBS.  Check your local stations for the time in your area.  My area is 9:00pm, tonight, April 21st.

This is a must see movie!  This is the same movie I recommended everyone to see in a previous post.  I can't believe we get to see it for free!  Not only great health information about our food, but frugal too, you can't get more frugal then free.  You know I'm a happy camper today!  Please everyone tune in, it will be an eye opener.  If you can't watch it tonight record it for later.

Enjoy it.

Good Health and Wealth,

Jeanne

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

A NATURAL CURE FOR THYROID NODULES?

Hi, I hope everyone is doing well today.

Searching For A Natural Cure For Thyroid Nodules

I have thyroid nodules like many other people, and I have symptoms of hypothyroidism.  My thyroid nodules have grown, so I want to find a way to get rid of them using a natural treatment.  I don't want to lose my thyroid gland, so I've been searching for a natural cure for a few years now.  I came across something very interesting last year, and I'm going to start taking the treatment that I found, since it is very natural and would be inducive to good health, even if it doesn't cure thyroid nodules.  I also haven't found any evidence of any significant side effects.

I don't know if the studies are accurately reported as it is difficult to determine since they occurred in China.  I do have a lot of faith in Asian medicine.  I like their use of energy medicine, and trying to determine the cause, and treating the cause instead of treating only the symptoms of disease.

Here is the link to the study that was done in China,  It is a link to the  html version, but you can download the pdf file if you want.  The information of the study starts at the bottom of page 20.

Is Fulvic Acid A Miracle Cure 

The treatment is Fulvic Acid, which is part of the Humic Acid compounds.  In India it is referred to as Shilajit which is similar and contains Fulvic Acid.  Shilajit has been used safely for many years in India and is common in Aryuvedic medicine.

It's a little hard to describe Fulvic Acid as even scientists don't know everything about it yet.  It reminds me of compost that people use to fertilize their gardens.  Compost is healthy and full of nutrients and made of plant matter that has been buried and decays.   Fulvic Acid is similar in that it is the natural decomposition of plant matter under pressure in nature, and is loaded with nutrients and ionic minerals.  Everything that is so necessary for human health.

I plan on starting in about a month, but first I need to find a good source of the fulvic acid.  I will keep you all abreast of my results, since I know so many of you are stricken with thyroid nodules, and other thyroid issues as it is almost epidemic now.  My opinion is that one of the reasons for all the problems is due to the lack of nutrients in today's foods including our fruits and vegetables.  Even our organic produce is lacking nutrients that were present a century ago.

How It Is Supposed To Work

Fulvic Acid is accredited with many healing properties.  One of the ways it is supposed to work on thyroid nodules is as a chelator and detoxifier of heavy metals, chemical toxins and radiation from the body. It delivers a tremendous amount of nutrients and minerals straight to the cells, and is considered a natural adaptogen and a strong antioxidant.

My intuition is telling me that this has promise, and at the very least can't hurt.  I wouldn't recommend anyone else starting this unless you go to your health professional first to make sure it is all right for you to take it.  Even after getting the go ahead from your health professional, make sure you check out the source you get it from.  This is still something I'm researching.

Good Health and Wealth,

Jeanne

A NEW LOOK

Hi everyone, it's still me.  I'm just trying a new look.  I got some feedback about my blog's old look, and it wasn't good, so I wanted to change it up a bit.  I hope you like it.  I do have some limitations with what I can change since I'm not an expert, but I thought a color change might be good.

The picture on the side is really mine.  I love it, and believe it is a Margaret J. Paterson painting.  Every time I look at it, it makes me feel relaxed, now that's a great picture, lol.

I hope you like the picture too, at least as much as you can see.

Good Health and Wealth,

Jeanne

Monday, April 19, 2010

FREE - FRUGAL ALERT

In celebration of Earth Day, on Thursday, April 22, 2010,  10am-10pm, EVOS Restaurants are giving away a free homemade organic milkshake.

I know they aren't everywhere, but if you have one in your area, enjoy.

FABULOUS NEW SWEEPSTAKES ADDED TO CONTESTS/SWEEPSTAKES PAGE


Hi,  I just wanted to alert everyone that I added a fabulous new sweepstakes today to my Contests/Sweepstakes page at the top of my blog.

It is for a new green home, plus $100,000, plus a car!  A prize worth over 3/4 of a million
dollars.   Check it out, and come here to enter it every day with a direct link on my
Contests/Sweepstakes page.  While you are there, enter all the other great sweeps too.
I've included a direct link to them all.

Good luck, you may just win a brand new home.  Please let us know if you are the
lucky winner.

Good Health and Wealth,

Jeanne

Saturday, April 17, 2010

EFT - Emotional Freedom Techniques


Hi,  I hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend.

Today I want to emphasize something I have been mentioning a lot.  EFT, Emotional Freedom Techniques.  I repeat my self a lot, because "Repetition Is The Mother Of Learning".  I don't know if any of you went to Gary Craig's website www.emofree.com yet, so I wanted to post his video here so that some of you who are unfamiliar with EFT could learn a little bit about it.  Once you view the video, go to his website and check it out, as there is a lot of information there, and you can download the EFT manual for free.

I hope that you all will keep an open mind and at least try it.  You will only be doing yourself a disservice if you dismiss EFT as nonsense.

I've mentioned how I cured myself of a lifelong phobia when I first discovered EFT, and that was before I had attended any classes yet.  Learning the basics is quick and easy.  There is much to learn after that, of course, but you can be doing it in a very short time.

It works on so many different things that you won't know if it will work until you try it, and you have nothing to lose by trying.  The mantra is to "Try It On Everything."







I hope you enjoy the video, and I would be interested in hearing how it works for you.

This energy healing technique has many complexities to it.  When you are starting out, you will find that phobias respond quickly to EFT, because often they are simple single layer problems.  Other issues may take longer, because they can be complex and have many layers to them.  EFT will still work, but you must clear each layer, to get complete resolution.  So stick with it, and consult an expert if you want, as it is often easier to do with help.  Don't be discouraged if you can't see an EFT practitioner, because you can do it yourself with patience and practice, so learn all you can.

The future is in energy medicine, and we are only in its infancy, yet in other cultures some energy medicine has been practiced for centuries.  It will be interesting to see what the future brings in this field of medicine.

Good Health and Wealth,

Jeanne

Friday, April 16, 2010

QUOTE OF THE DAY

Hi,  sometimes we all need to be reminded, don't you think? 

Unless you're willing to have a go, fail miserably, and have another go, success won't happen.
                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                Phillip Adams

Good Health and Wealth,

Jeanne

Thursday, April 15, 2010

GET CONTROL OF THE STRESS IN YOUR LIFE

Hi, it's been a few days since my usual health topics, so I want to get back to them.

Ways To Cope With Stress

A vital aspect of health is stress, or rather how well you tolerate it.  If you're alive you will have stress, that I can guarantee.  What matters is how you react to it.

Everyone knows that stress causes disease.  I know I don't need to list all the diseases it causes, as everyone knows it has some responsibility in all the big killers, and also contributes to the lesser ones.  There probably aren't many diseases that wouldn't be affected detrimentally by added stress.  We know all this already.

So, what do we do about it?  If you can avoid it, do so, but you don't want to avoid something that is necessary or beneficial to your life just to avoid stress.  You don't want to stop paying your taxes anymore because it is too stressful.  Trying to avoid stress that way will certainly bring on much more of it in the future.  I'm referring to avoiding stress in beneficial ways.  For example, say you always wait until the last minute for an appointment, and then rush so as not to be late, but inevitably there will be a lot of traffic and you will have once again caused yourself unnecessary, avoidable stress.  That is the kind of stress that can be avoided, by being mindful and changing bad habits.  I know you can think of many ways to do that in your own lives.  My mantra is always saying, take care of yourself, and this is a good  way to do that.  It isn't only about eating a healthy diet and exercising, but also about making good choices for yourself; taking great care of you. Think about how much better our world would be if we all took good care of ourselves first.

Another important thing is to learn how to cope with the stress that comes, in the least detrimental way.  We all know some of the things we can do, exercise, EFT, healthy diet, meditation, music, acupuncture, acupressure, magnesium, yoga, massage, there are many.  Just closing your eyes and "closing out" the stress for a few minutes has actually been proven to reduce stress levels.  You can refer to my Alternative Cures/Home Remedies page at the top of my blog to refresh your memory of them.

One of the best is deep diaphragmatic breathing, it's handy and always with us. Three deep slow breaths will almost always make a difference in your stress level.  Remember that when you breathe in your diaphragm comes out and when you breathe out your diaphragm goes in.  You're breathing from the diaphragm, so don't raise your shoulders.

Take Charge 

One thing I've noticed, is when I'm in the throws of stress,  I don't remember or think about what to do when it starts.   Probably the same thing happens to you.  When I am very stressed I don't think about anything else.  I realize afterwards that I should have practiced my deep breathing.  The first step to improving that is by being aware of it.  Put in your mind, the next time you are feeling stressed sitting in a traffic jam or something else, you will remember to do your deep breathing.  After that your stress level will come down, and then you can apply other techniques.  Turn on some nice relaxing music or give yourself some positive self talk.  After all, getting stressed isn't going to change the circumstances you are in, it will just cause you more discomfort and eventually make you sick.

Deep breathing is the best antidote, as it is always handy, no one has to know you are using it, and it is really good for your health.  Don't wait until you are stressed,  anytime you think of it you should practice some nice deep breathing, as it not only relieves stress, it has many other benefits as well.   It releases endorphins, the body's natural painkillers, it can increase your energy, and it is
cleansing, a lot of toxins are released through breathing.

One Great Technique

I want to share with you another great stress reliever I learned years ago, and have been using since.  I don't know who thought of it, but it is terrific.  You can try it sitting in your seat right now.  Look straight ahead, then up a little above eye level, keep your eyes steady on that spot and don't move them, but "see" the other things in your environment while you keep looking at that one spot. Take it all in, the things on your right, your left, above and below.   Then "look" at the other things in the room, in your mind, include the unseen things behind you, etc.  Do this without moving your eyes from that one spot. You will notice when you do this, and when you have others do it, your breathing will slow and deepen and your shoulders will relax.

The theory behind this exercise is very interesting, and makes a lot of sense, I guess that is why it has stuck with me all these years.  When we are stressed, anxious, or fearful our focus is so intently on that one thing, and we see nothing else.  Part of the stress is the intense concentration on it, almost like everything else is excluded, closed out.  This technique broadens our focus and it works immediately, you will be amazed at the results.

Choose To Take The Healthy Path 

Stress can be damaging in so many ways; it can affect every aspect of our lives. When we are stressed,  cortisol is released and this leads to weight gain, and insomnia.  It effects our job, health, and  relationships.  It can lead to anger and irritability.  We have all witnessed many people who choose damaging ways to "relieve" the stress in their lives.  Overeating, abuse of drugs, drinking, the list is endless.  Life has a way of taking a toll on us if we are not vigilant, so promise yourself today, for your sake and your loved ones, that you are going to start at once and take positive steps to deal with the stress that comes your way.

Good Health and Wealth,

Jeanne

FREE - FRUGAL ALERT

Target stores will be giving away 1.5 million reusable bags.  You can get one with any purchase on Sunday, April 18, 2010, which is the first day of Earth Week.

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

PREPARING FOR TAX DAY

Hi,  I know some of you are still preparing for tax day.  I will be talking about stress tomorrow, which seems so appropriate, since tax day is one of the known stress days on the calendar, especially if you still have to file.

I posted all the freebies that a lot of companies are giving away tomorrow.  Not that I advocate them, especially any that aren't considered healthy foods, but I understand that most people aren't interested in having a diet exactly like mine.  Most people probably don't have to, if you aren't fighting numerous health problems like I am.  A generally healthy diet with an occasional treat is usually more doable for most people.  You want this to be a lifetime practice. That being said, I hope everyone recognizes the "occasional treat" comment, as that is fine.  Everyone needs to understand, though, that if the occasional treat turns into a daily practice then it is impossible to have a healthy diet.

I thought this was the perfect opportunity to mention all these freebies, and the message they are sending. The message that is coming across is, let's give a treat to ease the stress of tax day.   Of course, it is an advertising strategy, but I'm not a happy camper with associating food with stress relief.  If you haven't yet read my posts EMOTIONAL FREEDOM FROM FOOD and EMOTIONS ARE GLUTTONOUS, last month, please do.  This is a very common message we hear all the time, but we have got to stop using food to comfort ourselves.

I also want to appeal to those that choose to indulge in occasional treats to cook or bake them yourself, because that will always be healthier simply because you will use real food for the ingredients,  not chemicals and preservatives, as commercial treats so often do.   So enjoy it, but occasionally.

Good Health and Wealth,

Jeanne

FREE - FRUGAL ALERT

Starbucks is offering a free cup of coffee on Thursday, April 15, 2010, if you bring your own reusable cup.

FREE - FRUGAL ALERT

Free HydroMassage from Thursday, April 15, to Sunday, April 18, 2010. 

Hundreds of business owners across the nation are uniting to eliminate stress by giving out
FREE HydroMassages.

Click on the link for all information and to find a location near you for your HydroMassage.

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

FREE - FRUGAL ALERT

Here's another freebie.  I don't recommend fries for health reason, but I know some occasionally like a treat so I'm alerting everyone about this freebie.

On Friday, April 16, 2010, Jack In The Box is giving away a free small fries to everyone at participating restaurants.  Limit of one per person, and no other purchase necessary.

Monday, April 12, 2010

FREE - FRUGAL ALERT

MaggieMoo's is giving away a slice of their Ice Cream Pizza (The Pizza That Melts In Your Mouth) on Thursday, April, 15, 2010, in honor of Tax Day.  The giveaway will take place from 3pm - 7pm. for four hours.  Check your local MaggieMoo's for participation.

Enjoy!

FREE - FRUGAL ALERT

Cinnabon is having a Tax Day Bites!   On Thursday, April 15th from 6pm - 8pm.

Cinnabon is giving away 2 Free Cupcake Bites - While supplies last. Limit 2 cupcake bites per guest
at participating locations.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

Hi,  I just came across a quote I thought everyone might enjoy.

Flatter me, and I may not believe you.
Criticize me, and I may not like you.  
Ignore me, and I may not forgive you.
Encourage me, and I may not forget you.

                                      William Arthur


Good Health and Wealth,

Jeanne

Sunday, April 11, 2010

DELICIOUS AMARANTH RECIPE


Hi, I want to let you know about another delicious healthy recipe.  I've mentioned amaranth before, because it is a great food.  It is eaten like a grain, but it is really a seed, and it is a great vegetarian source of  protein, it contains all 9 essential amino acids, but even though it contains all 9 amino acids some consider it not a complete protein because of the amounts, but regardless it is considered an excellent vegetarian source of protein, as well as many other nutrients such as calcium, iron, magnesium, and b vitamins.  It is also a great source of fiber, and it is gluten free.  It is high in oxalates so be aware if you have to avoid foods high in that.

Try Different Recipes

The first time I made it I cooked it with garlic and onion and a little thyme, but I didn't like it very much.  I didn't want to give up on it since it is a great food, so I tried it as a breakfast cereal, and loved it.  I made up this recipe myself.  The first way I made it I used an apple, but that is a little bit more work then I can do every day, so I tried it with a banana (which is pictured above) and I like it just as much or maybe a little more, and it was very simple and easy to prepare.  Nowadays, I usually make it with the banana, and occasionally I make it with an apple when I have the time.

This recipe is so simple, and I'll tell you exactly how I make it.  This is for one serving, you can adjust the amounts accordingly for more then one serving.  I take 1/4 cup of amaranth and add one measuring teaspoon of cinnamon and I add 6 one quarter cups of water, stir and bring to a slow boil, then turn heat down immediately cover and simmer or approximately 1/2 hour or until done (it will be nice and thick).  You need to stir occasionally during the simmering to prevent sticking.  When done I slice a banana up in it and stir in whole milk plain yogurt and/or serve with the yogurt on top.

It is healthy because I use everything organic, and I don't use any sugar at all, but it is still very sweet to me.  I don't consume any sugar, and eat a clean diet so anything with fruit is sweet to me.  You could use a healthy sweetener if you feel you need more sweetness, but try it without first.  Be cautious of the sweetener you use.  I would suggest stevia, which seems to be the safest choice, but if you use real sugar, use an organic unprocessed type like organic cane juice crystals. 

Cinnamon Goes Great With Amaranth

Cinnamon has some health benefits as do a lot of herbs and spices used in cooking, but make sure you don't ever use more then one teaspoon of cinnamon a day, as it can have undesirable side effects.  If you have a kidney problem or are on blood thinners, you shouldn't use it at all until you check with your health care professional. Everyone may want to try using only 1/2 teaspoon at first to make sure you don't have any problems.

Some of the beneficial things of cinnamon, is that it helps to keep glucose levels low, and I like using it with the banana as it lowers the glucose load of the banana since it is eaten with it.  Cinnamon also has antioxidant properties, and antibacterial properties, it's a natural food preservative, and has anti-clotting abilities.  But as I've stated before, just because something is good in a small amount doesn't mean it is better in a large amount.  Everything is a balance.

Different Ways To Prepare It

The way I cook the amaranth with an apple is I core and peel the apple and chop it into small pieces, about the size of a nickel or a little larger.  I then cook the amaranth with the apple and serve with the whole milk yogurt. I still add the same amount of cinnamon, but I reduce the water to 5 one quarter cups.

You can always add less water and cook it for less time, so experiment.  Let me know if you like it.  This is my favorite and I eat it almost every morning.

These are just a couple of ways to prepare amaranth; there are so many different ways to cook it.  Amaranth can also be popped like popcorn, but it's healthier then popcorn.  Amaranth is very popular around the world, particularly in Peru, Mexico and India, so check out some of the recipes from those countries as well.

Good Health and Wealth,

Jeanne

Friday, April 9, 2010

IMPORTANT INFO IN THIS VIDEO - NO GMOs



Hi, I wanted to post this extremely important video to let everyone know what's happening.  This concerns us all.  It's a very short vid of only about 4 minutes, and well worth your time to watch as you will get a lot of information in a very short amount of time.

In the vid they say the link is on the side, but I don't see it so I'm including it here so that anyone who wants to sign the petition may do so.  The website is a little political, but I know the issues are important for everyone's health, and I guess the only way to stop the infiltration of these dangerous GMOs now is through the political process.

They also said on the vid that you don't have to include your address, but it looks like you do to me.  It is a quick process though, and if you click on the link at the top of the page from my link it will bring you to the petition. 

Everyone does need to be aware of this, not only for their own and their family's health, but for all of us. 

Take care.

Good Health and Wealth,

Jeanne

FREE - FRUGAL ALERT

Today is another great day at Walgreen's. Today only, Friday, April 9, 2010, you can get a free 8x10 photo. There is no need to order anything else. Order your photo online, but pick it up at your local store to avoid shipping charges, which make it totally free. At checkout use the coupon code BIG8X10.

I've gotten enlargements from them before and they did a great job. It's a good time to try them out if you've never gone there before.

It's very convenient to order it online. Here is the link.

Enjoy!

Jeanne

Thursday, April 8, 2010

QUINOA RECIPE

Hi,  since I was talking about my diet yesterday, I wanted to include a few simple, healthy recipes that I use.  I usually make things with only a few ingredients.  They tend to be very simple tastes, nothing fancy, and they are usually quick, easy, and frugal to make.  I need them to be easy and healthy since I cook for myself everyday, and you should do that for yourself too.

One Of My Favorites

I eat quinoa about 3 - 4 times a week because I love it so much.  Yum!  I change the recipe up a bit sometimes, but the one pictured was tonight's dinner, so it's all gone. lol  I get my quinoa in the bulk section of my local Whole Foods Market.  I realize, not everyone is lucky enough to have a Whole Foods Market nearby.  If you don't, you can sometimes get it from a health food store, and some regular supermarkets are selling it now as well, but you should always buy the organic version.  If you can't find it you can always buy it online.  I would recommend this one.  You don't have to buy from Amazon, as you should buy it at the cheapest price you can find.  If you can get it cheaper locally do that, but Amazon is good if you can't get a product near you.  I buy many things from them.  Even if you don't buy from them, it is great to check out the comments from all the other people who have bought that particular product.  I also like the free shipping after $25 deal that they have.

Anyway, I buy the Arrowhead Mills brand when my local Whole Foods Market bulk bin is empty.  And that happens quite a lot lately.  More and more people are beginning to try healthy foods and liking them, and the quinoa is one of the most popular.

Easy To Cook 

There are many ways to prepare it, as you can cook it like rice.  I must caution you to rinse it first in a fine strainer under running water, as it may have saponins on it.  Saponin is a soap-like substance and it  can be bitter.  Most of it is washed away, but it is always recommended that you rinse it before cooking, it only takes a minute.

Quinoa cooks fast, in about 20 minutes usually and you can add anything you want to it.  Some people saute veggies before adding it to the quinoa, some serve the veggies over a bed of plain quinoa, but I add the veggies in the beginning and boil everything together as I don't fry anything.  Remember my blog about heating oils in March 2010?  The one that is picture is probably the most frugal.  I take a 1/4 cup  and fill it one and 1/2 times with quinoa.  1/4 cup isn't enough for me as it is my whole meal and I love it.  I chop up onion, garlic (lots-2 cloves), and a large carrot and add that.  I bring it to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer and cover the pot and cook it until all the water is gone.  The package usually calls for twice a much water as the quinoa, much like rice.  But I like a softer quinoa, so I usually add about 3 times as much water.  So try it out both ways and cook it the way you like best.

When it is done I stir in 1 or 2 tablespoons of organic virgin coconut oil.  I have the Nutiva 54 oz jar as I use it a lot.  I'll blog about the wonderful health benefits of coconut oil in the near future.  It is a very healthy oil, even though we have been taught differently.  Of course you can substitute olive oil if you prefer.

You can use a healthy salt on it once it is on you plate if you want, try it first though to see if you think you need it.  The only salt I would use is himalayan pink sea salt or gray celtic sea salt as these are the healthy salts.  I use the gray celtic sea salt.

I always use garlic and onion in the quinoa, but sometimes I substitute the carrot for zucchini or broccoli, or some other vegetable.  Sometime I just served the other vegetable on the side.  Some people like to eat it sweeten with fruit as a morning cereal. You almost can't go wrong.

Healthy And Delicious

A few stats about quinoa, it is eaten as a grain, but it is a seed, it is also a complete protein, yes a vegetarian complete protein, as it has all 9 essential amino acids.  It is usually gluten free, and high in magnesium which is very important and lacking in a lot of diets today.  It does contain a fair amount of  oxalates so take note if you need to avoid that.  It also has a good amount of fiber.  It you would like to read a more in-depth analysis of quinoa here is a link.

If you try it and like it please let me know and leave a comment, even if you don't like it, although I haven't come across anyone yet who tried it and didn't like it.  Take care, and bon appetit.

Good Health and Wealth,

Jeanne

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

MY DAILY DIET

Hi,  I hope everyone got their 20 free photos today (Wed.) from Walgreen's.  I ordered mine and can pick them up tomorrow.

A Long Journey To A Healthy Diet

It's late, but I wanted to list the foods that I eat.  These are the only foods that I eat.  I will go into the reasons why I don't eat certain things (bread, etc.) anymore at a later date, as there are many things I now choose to leave out of my diet.  The explanations are long, in some cases, and this will be a quick post tonight.

This wasn't a quick process, but it gradually happened over the years, and every year, I just naturally want to improve.  One of the last things I stopped eating was organic raisins, which was a couple of years ago.  I also add things to my daily health practices and will post those soon, as well.  I quit eating raisins because they have a very high glycemic index, and load.  The glycemic index, and glycemic load are a little different and I believe the glycemic load is the more accurate measure.  None the less, raisins rate high in both. I also have trouble with sugar, and it is one of my trigger foods, so I found it hard to stop eating them once I started, and I wouldn't feel well and kind of felt like I was "drunk with sugar".  My heart would beat a little faster and I would get a little shaky. I knew, if I continued with them, my diet wouldn't be the best it could be, and I would be flirting with diabetes as it runs very strong in my family tree.

My diet consists of only organic things.  With one exception, I will eat conventional avocados, for a few reasons, they are not always available in organic, and when they are they are very expensive, and I can't afford to pay $2 or more for an avocado, since I usually eat the whole thing at one time.  Also, they rate very low consistently when tested for pesticides.  Conventional avocados and yellow onions are last on the pesticide laden list.  They both test very low.  I believe it is probably the tough skin that offers some protection, as far as the onions go, I don't have a clue as to why they test low.

Occasionally, I will have a conventional mango in the summer for similar reasons.  Outside of that I consistently eat organic, and it isn't easy.  I buy what is on sale, and adjust accordingly, and I buy the cheapest organic things I can.  In fact, the organic items I buy are usually cheaper then the conventional foods.  I need a whole post on that one day.

Now that you know all the foods I eat are organic, I won't have to specify each time, just assume everything is organic unless I say otherwise.


The things I eat are:

Vegetables - All kinds, except I only eat white potatoes once a year at Thanksgiving.  I also never eat corn or its by products.  Corn isn't a vegetable anyway, it is a grain.

Fruits - All kinds.

I eat one dried fruit and that is apricots, since I like a little sweetness with my yogurt.  They actually rank lower, albeit on the high side of low, on the glycemic index.  Strangely, the dried are lower then the fresh, which I cannot explain.  I try to limit these, and it is difficult too.

Grains - I eat a limited amount since they are high on the glycemic load, and I always try to lower the load by combining with other things, that will lower the load.  For example, some healthy fat or cinnamon.  I usually eat 1 to 3 servings of grains a day.  When counting the grains I eat, I count the amaranth, quinoa and wild rice as a grain in my one to three servings a day, even though they are really seeds.  The true grains I eat are whole wheat pasta which I have about once or twice a week, and brown rice which I also have about once or twice a week.
Update:  In 2014 I went gluten, and grain free.  Now I only consume "pseudo grains" like quinoa, and amaranth, and I don't even eat those more than once a day, if even that.  I do eat an organic red lentil pasta, once in a while, that is very good, but it's so expensive it's more of a treat.  So I do eat legumes.

I stopped eating gluten for my thyroid, but what really happened was all digestive issues went away.  I do believe gluten really isn't very good for most people, and my experience was congruent with that.

It's difficult to explain why I felt giving up all grains, was better for my health, especially since the only ones I was eating were organic whole grains, and rarely more than once a day.  Dr. Mercola has a great article about that, so here is the link so you can read what he has to say about it.  Reflect on it, and consider giving it a try.

Nuts - I love these, but they are loaded with fat, and high in calories.  They are also good for you if you eat the raw ones only, which is what I do.  I love cashews, and they are a bit of a trigger for me also, so I have to really watch how many I eat, and how much I bring into the house, lol.  I do eat one, or two raw brazil nuts every day for the high selenium contained in them.  Selenium is very good for you, but don't eat more then a couple of brazil nuts, or you will be getting too much selenium.  And while it is a good thing, actually a great thing, you know what they say about too much of a good thing, and it is true with selenium as well.

Seeds - I eat raw pumpkin seeds almost every day.  While I wouldn't recommend eating any food every day as that isn't a good health practice, this seems to agree with me.  Sometimes I alternate with raw sunflower seeds, but the pumpkin seeds are the ones I like best.  Sesame seeds are good too.  I also have amaranth almost every morning as a cereal that I cook up, and while it is eaten as a grain it is really a seed, and the same with quinoa, I eat that a few times a week.  Those two are my favorites.  I eat wild rice as well, which is really a seed too.

Beans - Black beans are my favorite.  I'm fairly new to eating beans, and haven't tried too many of the others yet, but it's on my to do list.  I also eat lentils, and split peas, which I love.  I make a split pea soup quite often, especially in the colder weather.

I don't eat any form of soy beans, and I believe they are very unhealthy, contrary to popular belief.  If you want to eat soy beans, the only safe form is a fermented form, such as miso, natto, tempeh, and tamari sauce. 

Yogurt - Whole milk plain, non-homogenized.  I can't get raw where I am, so it is pasteurized.  I believe yogurt is very good for you, but it is a trigger food for me also, and sometimes I eat too much of it.  One of my goals is to cut back on the amount I eat and try not to eat it every day. I don't think eating any food, even the healthiest every day, is the best practice.  Many believe that is one way to develop food allergies, or food sensitivities.

If you aren't eating yogurt you need to get your probiotics another way.  You can eat almost any form of fermented foods to get your probiotics.  Homemade sauerkraut is a good one, Kimchi is another.  Probiotics are essential for a healthy bowel, and a healthy bowel with properly balanced flora is essential for a healthy you.

Yogurt is the only dairy that I eat anymore.  On a very rare occasion I could see eating a healthy, organic, free range egg, and possibly I may have cheese again on a rare occasion, but I don't plan on it.

The only beverage I drink is filtered water.  I will very rarely have a cup of green, or herb tea.  I did start drinking 2 oz of freshly squeezed lemon juice in 8 oz of water in the morning.  I do this as a natural healing cleanse,  and because I was stricken with a kidney stone a year and a half ago.  Lemon juice prevents them from forming, if I take it every day.  I will be including the lemon juice cure that I used to dissolve another stone about 6 months ago.  That will be posted in the Alternative Cures/Home Remedies section, listed at the top of my blog.

That is my entire diet, though I do eat a healthy amount.  It is really late now, so one day I'll go into some of the recipes I use, and may even include a recipe section in my blog as well.

The Unseen Energy

In closing, I will say that I rarely ever go out to eat, and I really don't like to at all.  Sometimes, obligations require it, but sometimes if people are understanding, without too much discomfort, I will just drink water, or have a cup of green tea.   That is something you have to decide for yourself.  I really don't enjoy restaurant food, and I know how it is prepared, (hint-not usually the best way) and I know it is a business to them.

You will never get food as good as healthy food prepared at home with love.  I do believe that there really can be a "love energy" embedded in healthy food cooked at home with loving hands, and I believe it is a healing thing.  I know that sounds a little crazy, and it is hard to prove.  But until recently when they did a study, no one knew how prayer, another form of energy, actually did have a healing effect on patients even when they didn't know anyone was praying for them.

Energy is stored in food.  Eating that food is, in large part, how we get our energy.  The last thing I would ever want to eat is the meat of the animals that are raised by "conventional" means.  Everyone should see "Food, Inc." the movie.  I feel, that meat has the worse energy to it.  Not only are these animals fed a very unhealthy diet, but they are often mistreated, kept in cramped quarters, sick, and in pain.  Given all kinds of drugs, to try and keep them on their feet, and to try and fatten them up.  Then they are killed in not always the most humane way, and the animal is fearful and adrenaline is pumping through their veins.  All these detrimental things are in the animal and it's flesh which some then eat.  No wonder so many are so sick.  I know that some of these things are painful to know, but not knowing is even worse.  We can see why so much ill health has befallen so many,when we look at the for profit only food industry.  We really all need to take a hard look.  I know that energy thought of in this way is a new concept for some people, and it can sound pretty far-fetched, but I hope everyone will educate themselves about it.

Hopefully, we will all be open minded enough to realize we don't know everything yet, and that many things still unimagined will be the norm in years to come.

Good Health and Wealth,

Jeanne

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

FREE - FRUGAL ALERT

Tomorrow only, Wednesday, April 7, 2010, Walgreens is offering 20 free 4x6 prints. There is no need to order anything else. This is a great deal from Walgreens. Order the prints online, but pick them up at your local store to avoid shipping charges, which makes them totally free. At checkout use coupon code
PRINTS20. 
  
I think Walgreens does a good job with photos, as I've gotten some photos from them before.  It's a good time to try them out if you've never gone there before.   It's very convenient to order them online.  Here is the direct  link.

Enjoy,

Jeanne

THE EFFECTS OF GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOODS



Here's another video that I think is very important. I don't know if everyone is aware of what's going on with GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms). The above video is short so it doesn't cover everything, but I think people are more likely to view a short video, so I'm posting it.

Jeffery Smith wrote the book "Seeds of Deception". If you read the book you will be well versed in GMOs. But I, at least, want everyone to know that if you are eating any kind of processed food, you are probably eating GMOs. The best way to avoid all GMOs are to eat organic food (GMOs are not allowed in organic) and to avoid all processed foods. If you can't do that, read all the ingredients and at least avoid those with the top 4 GMOs, corn, soy, cottonseed, and canola. Corn and soy is in the majority of processed foods, so you need to be very careful.

I also want to let you know that you need to avoid GMO produce as well, since I've discovered that most people don't know how to avoid GMO produce.  They don't post a sign, so you need to be careful if you want to avoid GMO food, and I strongly believe you should. No need to take my word for it, educate yourself.

The way to detect GMO produce, is to check the number on the produce. For example a conventional apple will have a number that starts with a "3" or a "4". A lot of the conventional produce doesn't have individual stickers, but you can check the sign, and if no sign you can ask, as they are supposed to have it listed. A conventional red delicious apple could have the number 3016 or 4016. If it is an organic red delicious, it would have a number that starts with a "9". Such as 94016. A GMO apple will start with an  "8". It could have a number like 84016. Remember organic is a "9", conventional is a "3" or "4", and genetically modified starts with an "8".

I'll be writing more about this important topic in the near future, as a very important decision is coming up by the FDA about allowing alfalfa to be genetically modified, and that would have disastrous consequences, especially for organics. I'll be posting more about this soon.

Take care of yourselves, you're the only one that can do it.

Good Health and Wealth,

Jeanne

Monday, April 5, 2010

SOMETHING EVERYONE NEEDS TO WATCH IN IT'S ENTIRETY





I'll be writing about alternative cancer treatments in the future. One I'm particularly fond of is the Budwig Diet. But some people may need to know some things now. So I wanted to post this Google video now since it has such importance.

The title is called "Dying To Know." It is a Documentary Film by Stephen Kroschel, and it was awarded honorable mention in the Feature-Length Documentary Category in the 2006 New York International Independent Film and Video Festival.

The award I'm sure is important to Stephen Kroschel, but my interest in this fine film is that it may open the eyes of some people who think that to cure cancer you must have chemotherapy, radiation, and/or surgery. My hope is that people's hearts and innate intuition will open them up to the many ways cancer can really be cured. And that they will question as to why powerful curative therapies as the Gerson Therapy, and the Budwig Diet among others are still suppressed after all these years. I'm hoping people will considered the stake the big and powerful pharmaceutical companies have in this issue.

All that being said, I hope you enjoy it.

Good Health and Wealth,

Jeanne

Saturday, April 3, 2010

COLOR YOUR EASTER EGGS WITH THINGS FROM NATURE

Hi,  I was thinking that a lot of people are going to be dyeing eggs this Easter, and so many will be using those awful food coloring dyes.  I stay away from all food coloring, and if you can color eggs that will look just as nice why not use natural dyes. I would upload a picture, but I am not dyeing any eggs this year, but next year I'll be sure to do it and post a picture.

You can dye them all with just 4 things, beets, spinach, yellow onion skins, and blueberries (you can use frozen).  Actually you can do it with only a couple of items and mix them to create different colors, but to start out with, those are great. With the beets your color ranges from pink to red, with spinach it's a green, the onion skin will give you a nice yellow to orange color, and the blueberries will give you a pretty lavender to blue color.  These are the ones I've used, but there are many other choices.  Here are some I've heard of:

red - red cabbage, cranberry juice, red onion skins
blue - red cabbage, purple grape juice
yellow - lemon skin, orange skin, turmeric
orange - orange skin, chili powder, carrot tops

I haven't tried any of these, and some are noted that they can produce two different colors.  So play around with them, and see what you get.

I suggest you wash the eggs first in a vinegar or vinegar and water wash.  I used the heat method, and just put the raw eggs in a pot, use glass, with the ingredients and about 1/4 cup of white vinegar to about 2 quarts of water.  Make sure you use a lot of color ingredients if you want a rich color. You don't have to put the vinegar in but the dye won't hold as well and you might not get a very deep color.  I bring the eggs to a slow boil so as not to crack them and then simmered for about 15 minutes.

You can use a cold method as well.  Wash the eggs and hard boil them, and then let them cool.  Boil the ingredients, separately of course, unless you are combining colors.  Bring to a boil then simmer for about 30. Cool, and add about 1/4 cup white vinegar to about 2 quarts of color.  You can strain the dye through a coffee filter, and then dip the eggs in the dye, or leave the ingredients in for a interesting effect.  Leave eggs in the dye until desired color, you can leave them in for hours for a deep color as long as you refrigerate them.

Either way, you can combine colors for different shades.  One year I wrapped the eggs in the onion skins before boiling them, and got a pretty design on them, so you can try that also with any of the ingredients. You almost can't go wrong; experiment.  It is great for kids to be involved this way, and a great lesson for them, about how things used to be dyed using natural items, before we become a chemical society.

There are many other more detailed websites on how to do this, then I just did. Just google for them.  I just wanted to remind anyone who came across my blog, to do more things without chemicals, and to try and get people thinking about forgoing the chemicals in even the small things.

Happy Easter.

Good Health and Wealth,

Jeanne

Friday, April 2, 2010

QUOTE OF THE DAY

Hi,  I've had a rough couple of days, and when I do I always remember one of my favorite quotes.

"I felt sorry because I had no shoes, until I met a man who had no feet."    Author Unknown

I thought, maybe some of you are going through a tough time also, so I wanted to share it with you.  It always makes me feel a little better, and helps me to keep things in perspective.

It helps with gratitude too.  As it reminds us that there are always people worse off then us, some much worse off, and suddenly we may feel very grateful for what we have.  Which is always a helpful thing.

I once heard something else, I guess I would call it the second quote of the day, LOL.  I haven't heard it since, but it always stuck with me.  It goes something like this.

"If we all had to throw our troubles on a table, and had to take some back, we would usually take our own back."       Author Unknown       

Don't you agree?  I really do. Anyway, I might post a permanent page of quotes, many seem to like them, and I think these may top the list.  Maybe I'll just have an occasional Quote of The Day; I haven't decided yet.

Take care of yourselves and remember to make healthy choices, especially when dealing with stress.

Good Health and Wealth,

Jeanne       

Thursday, April 1, 2010

MY BLOG HAS PERMANENT PAGES ON TOP

Hi,  Please check out my new permanent, static pages at the top of my blog.  So far they include Free Stuff, Frugal Tips, Alternative Cures/Home Remedies, and Contests/Sweepstakes.  I will update the Free Stuff and Contests/Sweepstakes weekly to keep it current.  I spent a lot of time posting the links to make it easy for you to get to them.  Take advantage of all my work as they are all free.  I also only posted the ones that I thought were valid, the best ones, and the ones  that I thought are worth your time.  It is an easy way to come here and enter all the everyday ones everyday in one place.

I will be uploading other permanent pages, and will be adding to the ones that are already up, Frugal Tips, and Alternative Cures/Home Remedies.  I've just started so please check back to see what is added.  Thanks.

Good Health and Wealth,

Jeanne